158 
PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
ance of Mr D. P. Adams the chaplain, saved the lives of many of 
the wounded—those gentlemen have Been indefatigable in their 
attentions to them; the two first I beg leave to recommend for 
confirmation, and the latter to the notice of the department. 
I must in justification of myself observe, that with our six 
twelve pounders only we fought this action, our carronades being 
almost useless. 
The loss in killed and wounded has been great with the ene¬ 
my; among the former is the first lieutenant of the Phoebe, and 
of tne latter captain Tucker of the Cherub, whose wounds are 
severe. Both the Essex and Phoepe were in a sinking state, and 
it was with difficulty they could be kept afloat until they anchored 
in Valparaiso next morning. The shattered state of the Essex 
will, I believe, prevent her ever reaching England, and I also 
think it will be out of their power to repair the damages of the 
Phoebe, so as to enable her to double Cape Horn. All the masts 
and yards of the Phoebe and Cherub are badly crippled, and their 
hulls much cut up; the former had eighteen twelve pound shot 
through her below her water line, some three feet under water. 
Nothing but the smoothness of the water saved both the Phoebe 
and Essex. 
I hope, sir, that our conduct may prove satisfactory to our 
country, and that it will testify it by obtaining our speedy ex¬ 
change, that we may again have it in our power to prove our 
zeal. 
Commodore Hillyar (I am informed) has thought proper to 
state to his government that the action only lasted forty-five min¬ 
utes; should he have done so, the motive may be easily discovered 
—-!but the thousands of disinterested witnesses who covered the 
surrounding hills can testify that we fought his ships near two 
hours and an half; upwards of fifty broadsides were fired by the 
enemy, agreeably to their own accounts, and upwards of seventy- 
five by ours: except the few minutes they were repairing dama¬ 
ges, the firing was incessant. 
Soon after my capture, I entered into an agreement with com¬ 
modore Hillyaf to disarm my prize the Essex Junior, and pro- 
ceed with the survivors of my officers and crew to the United 
States, taking with me her officers and crew. He consented t# 
